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The Greek adverb νῦν (nyn) meaning “now” is one of the most frequently occurring words in Koine Greek, appearing 147 times in the New Testament alone. This simple yet powerful word anchors discourse in the present moment and carries significant rhetorical weight in Greek prose and poetry.
Unlike English “now,” which functions primarily as a temporal adverb, νῦν in Koine Greek displays remarkable flexibility. It can stand alone as a temporal marker, combine with the article to form the substantive τὸ νῦν (to nyn, “the present time”), join with particles to create emphatic phrases like καὶ νῦν (kai nyn, “even now”) and νῦν δέ (nyn de, “but now, as it is”), and even take on an exhortative function with imperatives, conveying urgency or marking the proper moment for action.
The word derives from the Proto-Indo-European root *nū, making it cognate with Latin nunc, Sanskrit nu, and indeed English “now” itself—a testament to the deep antiquity of this fundamental temporal concept across Indo-European languages.
FAQ: What does νῦν mean in Koine Greek?
The Koine Greek word νῦν (nyn) means “now” and functions as a temporal adverb indicating the present time. It appears frequently in the New Testament and Hellenistic literature, often in emphatic constructions or paired with imperatives to convey urgency.
In this lesson, we will explore νῦν across various grammatical contexts: with different tenses, in combination with particles, as a substantive with the article, and in its exhortative function. The 30 examples demonstrate the word’s versatility in expressing present time, logical consequence, and rhetorical emphasis.
Key Takeaways -
νῦν is the primary Koine Greek adverb for “now” -
It can function as an adverb, a substantive (with article), or a discourse marker -
Common combinations include νῦν δέ, καὶ νῦν, and νῦν οὖν -
With imperatives, it often signals urgency or the appropriate moment for action -
The related emphatic form νυνί (nyni) carries the same meaning with added emphasis
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51.1a νῦν now ἀκούω I-hear τὴν the φωνήν voice σου your-GEN
51.1b nyn (nyn) now akouō (ah-KOO-oh) I-hear tēn (tayn) the phōnēn (foh-NAYN) voice sou (soo) your-GEN
51.2a ὁ the διδάσκαλος teacher νῦν now λέγει speaks τοῖς to-the-DAT μαθηταῖς disciples-DAT
51.2b ho (ho) the didaskalos (dee-DAH-skah-los) teacher nyn (nyn) now legei (LEH-gay) speaks tois (toys) to-the-DAT mathētais (mah-thay-TICE) disciples-DAT
51.3a τί what νῦν now ποιεῖς do-you
51.3b ti (tee) what nyn (nyn) now poieis (poy-AYS) do-you
51.4a νῦν now ὁρῶμεν we-see τὴν the ἀλήθειαν truth
51.4b nyn (nyn) now horōmen (hoh-ROH-men) we-see tēn (tayn) the alētheian (ah-LAY-thay-ahn) truth
51.5a ἦν he-was τότε then νέος young νῦν now δέ but γέρων old-man ἐστίν he-is
51.5b ēn (ayn) he-was tote (TOH-teh) then neos (NEH-os) young nyn (nyn) now de (deh) but gerōn (GEH-rohn) old-man estin (es-TEEN) he-is
51.6a καὶ even νῦν now πιστεύω I-believe εἰς in τὸν the θεόν God
51.6b kai (kigh) even nyn (nyn) now pisteuō (pees-TEW-oh) I-believe eis (ays) in ton (ton) the theon (theh-ON) God
51.7a νῦν now οὖν therefore ἀπόστειλον send-IMPV τοὺς the ἄνδρας men
51.7b nyn (nyn) now oun (oon) therefore aposteilon (ah-POH-stigh-lon) send-IMPV tous (toos) the andras (AN-drahs) men
51.8a ἀπὸ from τοῦ the-GEN νῦν now ἔσομαι I-will-be μαθητής disciple σου your-GEN
51.8b apo (ah-POH) from tou (too) the-GEN nyn (nyn) now esomai (EH-soh-migh) I-will-be mathētēs (mah-thay-TAYS) disciple sou (soo) your-GEN
51.9a τὸ the-NOM νῦν now δύσκολόν difficult ἐστιν is
51.9b to (toh) the-NOM nyn (nyn) now dyskolon (DEES-koh-lon) difficult estin (es-TEEN) is
51.10a νῦν now ἔρχου come-IMPV πρός to με me
51.10b nyn (nyn) now erchou (EHR-khoo) come-IMPV pros (pros) to me (meh) me
51.11a ἡ the βασιλεία kingdom μου my-GEN οὐκ not ἔστιν is ἐκ of τοῦ the-GEN κόσμου world-GEN τούτου this-GEN νῦν now δέ but ἐν in οὐρανοῖς heavens-DAT μένει it-remains
51.11b hē (hay) the basileia (bah-see-LAY-ah) kingdom mou (moo) my-GEN ouk (ook) not estin (es-TEEN) is ek (ek) of tou (too) the-GEN kosmou (KOZ-moo) world-GEN toutou (TOO-too) this-GEN nyn (nyn) now de (deh) but en (en) in ouranois (oo-rah-NOYS) heavens-DAT menei (MEH-nay) it-remains
51.12a οἱ the-NOM ὀφθαλμοί eyes μου my-GEN νῦν now βλέπουσιν see
51.12b hoi (hoy) the-NOM ophthalmoi (off-thahl-MOY) eyes mou (moo) my-GEN nyn (nyn) now blepousin (BLEH-poo-seen) see
51.13a νῦν now ἐγείρεσθε rise-IMPV-2PL καὶ and ἄγωμεν let-us-go
51.13b nyn (nyn) now egeiresthe (eh-GHAY-res-theh) rise-IMPV-2PL kai (kigh) and agōmen (AH-goh-men) let-us-go
51.14a νῦν now δέ but μένει remains πίστις faith ἐλπίς hope ἀγάπη love
51.14b nyn (nyn) now de (deh) but menei (MEH-nay) remains pistis (PEES-tees) faith elpis (el-PEES) hope agapē (ah-GAH-pay) love
51.15a τί why νῦν now κλαίεις weep-you γύναι woman-VOC
51.15b ti (tee) why nyn (nyn) now klaieis (KLIGH-ays) weep-you gynai (gee-NIGH) woman-VOC
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51.1 Νῦν ἀκούω τὴν φωνήν σου. Nyn akouō tēn phōnēn sou. “Now I hear your voice.”
51.2 Ὁ διδάσκαλος νῦν λέγει τοῖς μαθηταῖς. Ho didaskalos nyn legei tois mathētais. “The teacher is now speaking to the disciples.”
51.3 Τί νῦν ποιεῖς; Ti nyn poieis? “What are you doing now?”
51.4 Νῦν ὁρῶμεν τὴν ἀλήθειαν. Nyn horōmen tēn alētheian. “Now we see the truth.”
51.5 Ἦν τότε νέος, νῦν δὲ γέρων ἐστίν. Ēn tote neos, nyn de gerōn estin. “He was then young, but now he is an old man.”
51.6 Καὶ νῦν πιστεύω εἰς τὸν θεόν. Kai nyn pisteuō eis ton theon. “Even now I believe in God.”
51.7 Νῦν οὖν ἀπόστειλον τοὺς ἄνδρας. Nyn oun aposteilon tous andras. “Now therefore send the men.”
51.8 Ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν ἔσομαι μαθητής σου. Apo tou nyn esomai mathētēs sou. “From now on I will be your disciple.”
51.9 Τὸ νῦν δύσκολόν ἐστιν. To nyn dyskolon estin. “The present is difficult.”
51.10 Νῦν ἔρχου πρός με. Nyn erchou pros me. “Come to me now.”
51.11 Ἡ βασιλεία μου οὐκ ἔστιν ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου τούτου· νῦν δὲ ἐν οὐρανοῖς μένει. Hē basileia mou ouk estin ek tou kosmou toutou; nyn de en ouranois menei. “My kingdom is not of this world; but now it remains in the heavens.”
51.12 Οἱ ὀφθαλμοί μου νῦν βλέπουσιν. Hoi ophthalmoi mou nyn blepousin. “My eyes now see.”
51.13 Νῦν ἐγείρεσθε καὶ ἄγωμεν. Nyn egeiresthe kai agōmen. “Now rise and let us go.”
51.14 Νῦν δὲ μένει πίστις, ἐλπίς, ἀγάπη. Nyn de menei pistis, elpis, agapē. “But now faith, hope, and love remain.”
51.15 Τί νῦν κλαίεις, γύναι; Ti nyn klaieis, gynai? “Why are you weeping now, woman?”
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51.1 Νῦν ἀκούω τὴν φωνήν σου. Nyn akouō tēn phōnēn sou.
51.2 Ὁ διδάσκαλος νῦν λέγει τοῖς μαθηταῖς. Ho didaskalos nyn legei tois mathētais.
51.3 Τί νῦν ποιεῖς; Ti nyn poieis?
51.4 Νῦν ὁρῶμεν τὴν ἀλήθειαν. Nyn horōmen tēn alētheian.
51.5 Ἦν τότε νέος, νῦν δὲ γέρων ἐστίν. Ēn tote neos, nyn de gerōn estin.
51.6 Καὶ νῦν πιστεύω εἰς τὸν θεόν. Kai nyn pisteuō eis ton theon.
51.7 Νῦν οὖν ἀπόστειλον τοὺς ἄνδρας. Nyn oun aposteilon tous andras.
51.8 Ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν ἔσομαι μαθητής σου. Apo tou nyn esomai mathētēs sou.
51.9 Τὸ νῦν δύσκολόν ἐστιν. To nyn dyskolon estin.
51.10 Νῦν ἔρχου πρός με. Nyn erchou pros me.
51.11 Ἡ βασιλεία μου οὐκ ἔστιν ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου τούτου· νῦν δὲ ἐν οὐρανοῖς μένει. Hē basileia mou ouk estin ek tou kosmou toutou; nyn de en ouranois menei.
51.12 Οἱ ὀφθαλμοί μου νῦν βλέπουσιν. Hoi ophthalmoi mou nyn blepousin.
51.13 Νῦν ἐγείρεσθε καὶ ἄγωμεν. Nyn egeiresthe kai agōmen.
51.14 Νῦν δὲ μένει πίστις, ἐλπίς, ἀγάπη. Nyn de menei pistis, elpis, agapē.
51.15 Τί νῦν κλαίεις, γύναι; Ti nyn klaieis, gynai?
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These are the grammar rules for νῦν:
Basic Function
The word νῦν is a temporal adverb meaning “now, at the present time.” As an adverb, it is indeclinable—it never changes form regardless of its grammatical context. It typically modifies the verb of its clause and can appear in various positions within the sentence, most commonly at the beginning for emphasis or immediately before or after the verb.
Position in the Sentence
νῦν displays considerable flexibility in word order:
Initial position (emphatic): Νῦν ἀκούω — “Now I hear”
Medial position (neutral): Ὁ διδάσκαλος νῦν λέγει — “The teacher now speaks”
Post-verbal: Ἀκούω νῦν — “I hear now”
The initial position typically carries greater emphasis or marks a transition in discourse.
Substantival Use with the Article
When preceded by the neuter singular article τό, νῦν becomes a substantive meaning “the present time, the present situation”:
τὸ νῦν — “the present” (nominative/accusative)
τοῦ νῦν — “of the present” (genitive)
The phrase ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν means “from now on, henceforth.”
An alternative substantival form uses the neuter plural article: τὰ νῦν (ta nyn), which also means “at present, as things now stand.”
Common Combinations with Particles
νῦν frequently combines with particles to create nuanced expressions:
νῦν δέ (nyn de) — “but now, as it is, as matters stand” (contrastive)
καὶ νῦν (kai nyn) — “even now, and now” (emphatic continuation)
νῦν οὖν (nyn oun) — “now therefore” (logical consequence)
νῦν γάρ (nyn gar) — “for now” (explanatory)
The νῦν δέ Construction
This construction deserves special attention. It has two primary uses:
Temporal contrast: “He was poor then, but now (νῦν δέ) he is rich.”
Logical contrast: “If X were the case... but as it is (νῦν δέ)...” — indicating that X is not the case.
Use with Imperatives
When νῦν accompanies an imperative, it often signals that the present moment is the proper or urgent time for the commanded action:
Νῦν ἔρχου — “Come now” (the time is right)
Νῦν ἀπόστειλον — “Send now” (urgency)
This usage is particularly common in New Testament Greek.
Use with Different Tenses
With present tense: indicates current, ongoing action — νῦν λέγω “I am now speaking”
With perfect tense: indicates a past action with present relevance — νῦν ἑώρακα “I have now seen”
With future tense: indicates immediate future — νῦν ἔσομαι “I will now be”
With aorist: can indicate “just now” (recent past) — νῦν ἦλθον “I just now came”
The Emphatic Form νυνί
Koine Greek also employs νυνί (nyni), an emphatic variant of νῦν. In New Testament usage, the distinction between νῦν and νυνί has largely been lost, and they function as synonyms. However, in earlier Greek, νυνί carried additional emphasis: “right now, at this very moment.”
Common Mistakes
Confusing νῦν with νύν (the enclitic form of the particle νύ) — these are different words
Forgetting that τὸ νῦν requires the article to function as a substantive
Overlooking the logical (non-temporal) sense of νῦν δέ in conditional contexts
Assuming νῦν always refers to literal present time — it often marks discourse transitions
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The Present Moment in Greek Thought
The concept of “now” held particular philosophical significance in the Greek-speaking world. Greek philosophers extensively debated the nature of the present moment—Aristotle famously analyzed τὸ νῦν in his Physics, questioning whether the “now” truly exists or is merely a boundary between past and future. This philosophical interest in the present moment infuses the word νῦν with conceptual weight beyond mere temporal reference.
Rhetorical Function
In Koine Greek rhetoric, νῦν serves important discourse functions. Speakers and writers use it to:
Signal transitions between topics or arguments
Mark climactic moments in narrative
Create urgency in exhortations
Establish contrast between past and present situations
In the New Testament epistles, νῦν frequently marks the transition from theological exposition to practical application, essentially saying “given all this, now here is what you should do.”
Religious and Liturgical Usage
The word νῦν opens one of Christianity’s most famous canticles, the Nunc Dimittis (Luke 2:29): Νῦν ἀπολύεις τὸν δοῦλόν σου, δέσποτα — “Now you dismiss your servant, Master.” This liturgical text, sung at evening prayers since the fourth century, illustrates how νῦν can mark a moment of profound fulfillment and transition.
The phrase νῦν καὶ ἀεί (nyn kai aei, “now and always”) became a standard element of Orthodox Christian doxologies, pairing the present moment with eternity.
Eschatological Dimension
In New Testament Greek, νῦν often carries eschatological overtones, marking the present age as distinct from the age to come. The phrase ὁ νῦν αἰών (ho nyn aiōn, “the present age”) contrasts with ὁ αἰὼν ὁ μέλλων (ho aiōn ho mellōn, “the age about to come”). This usage reflects the early Christian sense of living in a pivotal “now” between Christ’s resurrection and his return.
Register and Style
The word νῦν appears across all registers of Koine Greek—from casual papyrus letters to elevated literary prose. Its frequency and versatility make it a hallmark of natural Greek expression rather than a marker of any particular style or formality level.
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This celebrated canticle, spoken by the aged Simeon upon seeing the infant Jesus in the Jerusalem Temple, opens dramatically with νῦν and has been sung in Christian liturgies since the fourth century. The text comes from the Gospel of Luke.
F-A: Interlinear Construed Text
Νῦν now ἀπολύεις you-release τὸν the δοῦλόν servant σου your-GEN δέσποτα Master-VOC κατὰ according-to τὸ the ῥῆμά word σου your-GEN ἐν in εἰρήνῃ peace-DAT
Nyn (nyn) now apolyeis (ah-poh-LEW-ays) you-release ton (ton) the doulon (DOO-lon) servant sou (soo) your-GEN despota (DES-poh-tah) Master-VOC kata (kah-TAH) according-to to (toh) the rhēma (RHAY-mah) word sou (soo) your-GEN en (en) in eirēnē (ay-RAY-nay) peace-DAT
ὅτι because εἶδον saw οἱ the ὀφθαλμοί eyes μου my-GEN τὸ the σωτήριόν salvation σου your-GEN
hoti (HOH-tee) because eidon (AY-don) saw hoi (hoy) the ophthalmoi (off-thahl-MOY) eyes mou (moo) my-GEN to (toh) the sōtērion (soh-TAY-ree-on) salvation sou (soo) your-GEN
ὃ which ἡτοίμασας you-prepared κατὰ before πρόσωπον face πάντων all-GEN τῶν the-GEN λαῶν peoples-GEN
ho (hoh) which hētoimasas (hay-toy-MAH-sahs) you-prepared kata (kah-TAH) before prosōpon (PROH-soh-pon) face pantōn (PAHN-tohn) all-GEN tōn (tohn) the-GEN laōn (lah-OHN) peoples-GEN
φῶς light εἰς for ἀποκάλυψιν revelation ἐθνῶν nations-GEN καὶ and δόξαν glory λαοῦ people-GEN σου your-GEN Ἰσραήλ Israel
phōs (fohs) light eis (ays) for apokalypsin (ah-poh-KAH-leep-seen) revelation ethnōn (eth-NOHN) nations-GEN kai (kigh) and doxan (DOH-ksahn) glory laou (lah-OO) people-GEN sou (soo) your-GEN Israēl (ees-rah-AYL) Israel
F-B: Natural Text with Translation
Νῦν ἀπολύεις τὸν δοῦλόν σου, δέσποτα, κατὰ τὸ ῥῆμά σου ἐν εἰρήνῃ· ὅτι εἶδον οἱ ὀφθαλμοί μου τὸ σωτήριόν σου, ὃ ἡτοίμασας κατὰ πρόσωπον πάντων τῶν λαῶν, φῶς εἰς ἀποκάλυψιν ἐθνῶν καὶ δόξαν λαοῦ σου Ἰσραήλ.
Nyn apolyeis ton doulon sou, despota, kata to rhēma sou en eirēnē; hoti eidon hoi ophthalmoi mou to sōtērion sou, ho hētoimasas kata prosōpon pantōn tōn laōn, phōs eis apokalypsin ethnōn kai doxan laou sou Israēl.
“Now you dismiss your servant, Master, according to your word, in peace; because my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared before the face of all peoples—a light for revelation to the nations and glory for your people Israel.”
F-C: Original Script with Romanization
Νῦν ἀπολύεις τὸν δοῦλόν σου, δέσποτα, κατὰ τὸ ῥῆμά σου ἐν εἰρήνῃ· ὅτι εἶδον οἱ ὀφθαλμοί μου τὸ σωτήριόν σου, ὃ ἡτοίμασας κατὰ πρόσωπον πάντων τῶν λαῶν, φῶς εἰς ἀποκάλυψιν ἐθνῶν καὶ δόξαν λαοῦ σου Ἰσραήλ.
Nyn apolyeis ton doulon sou, despota, kata to rhēma sou en eirēnē; hoti eidon hoi ophthalmoi mou to sōtērion sou, ho hētoimasas kata prosōpon pantōn tōn laōn, phōs eis apokalypsin ethnōn kai doxan laou sou Israēl.
F-D: Vocabulary and Grammar Notes
Key Vocabulary:
ἀπολύω (apolyō) — release, dismiss, let go
δοῦλος (doulos) — servant, slave
δέσποτα (despota) — Master, Lord (vocative of δεσπότης)
ῥῆμα (rhēma) — word, saying, matter
εἰρήνη (eirēnē) — peace
σωτήριον (sōtērion) — salvation (neuter substantive)
ἑτοιμάζω (hetoimazō) — prepare (ἡτοίμασας = aorist 2nd singular)
πρόσωπον (prosōpon) — face, presence
ἀποκάλυψις (apokalypsis) — revelation, uncovering
ἔθνος (ethnos) — nation, people (plural: ἔθνη, here genitive ἐθνῶν)
δόξα (doxa) — glory, honor
Grammar Points:
The opening Νῦν is emphatic, marking this as the climactic moment of Simeon’s life.
ἀπολύεις (present indicative) with νῦν conveys imminent action: “you are now releasing.”
κατὰ τὸ ῥῆμά σου — “according to your word” uses κατά with accusative for standard/accordance.
The relative clause ὃ ἡτοίμασας (”which you prepared”) uses the neuter relative pronoun referring to σωτήριον.
φῶς... καὶ δόξαν stand in apposition to σωτήριον, explaining what the salvation is.
F-E: Literary Commentary
The placement of νῦν at the very beginning of this canticle is rhetorically powerful. Simeon has waited his entire life for this moment—the Holy Spirit had promised he would not see death before seeing the Messiah. The opening νῦν declares that the long-awaited moment has arrived.
The verb ἀπολύεις (”you release/dismiss”) uses present tense with νῦν to indicate that the release is beginning now. The metaphor is of a servant being dismissed after completing their duty—Simeon’s watch is finally over.
This text became the basis of the Latin Nunc Dimittis, sung at Compline (night prayer) in Western Christianity, where it symbolizes peaceful readiness for death at day’s end. The Greek original remains central to Eastern Orthodox Vespers.
Source: Gospel of Luke 2:29-32, 1st century CE
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Two merchants, Nikolaos and Demetrios, discuss business in a bustling Hellenistic marketplace. Their conversation illustrates the varied uses of νῦν in everyday speech.
Part A: Interlinear Construed Text
51.16a Νικόλαος Nikolaos νῦν now τί what πωλεῖς sell-you σήμερον today ὦ O Δημήτριε Demetrios-VOC
51.16b Nikolaos (nee-KOH-lah-os) Nikolaos nyn (nyn) now ti (tee) what pōleis (poh-LAYS) sell-you sēmeron (SAY-meh-ron) today ō (oh) O Dēmētrie (day-MAY-tree-eh) Demetrios-VOC
51.17a Δημήτριος Demetrios ἐλαίαν olives καὶ and σῖτον wheat νῦν now ἔχω I-have φίλε friend-VOC
51.17b Dēmētrios (day-MAY-tree-os) Demetrios elaian (eh-LIGH-ahn) olives kai (kigh) and siton (SEE-ton) wheat nyn (nyn) now echō (EH-khoh) I-have phile (FEE-leh) friend-VOC
51.18a Νικόλαος Nikolaos καὶ and νῦν now τίς who ἀγοράζει buys ταῦτα these-things
51.18b Nikolaos (nee-KOH-lah-os) Nikolaos kai (kigh) and nyn (nyn) now tis (tees) who agorazei (ah-goh-RAH-zay) buys tauta (TOW-tah) these-things
51.19a Δημήτριος Demetrios πολλοὶ many νῦν now ἔρχονται come πρὸς to τὴν the ἀγοράν marketplace
51.19b Dēmētrios (day-MAY-tree-os) Demetrios polloi (pol-LOY) many nyn (nyn) now erchontai (EHR-khon-tigh) come pros (pros) to tēn (tayn) the agoran (ah-goh-RAHN) marketplace
51.20a Νικόλαος Nikolaos νῦν now οὖν therefore ἴδωμεν let-us-see τὰς the τιμάς prices
51.20b Nikolaos (nee-KOH-lah-os) Nikolaos nyn (nyn) now oun (oon) therefore idōmen (ee-DOH-men) let-us-see tas (tahs) the timas (tee-MAHS) prices
51.21a Δημήτριος Demetrios ἡ the τιμὴ price τοῦ the-GEN σίτου wheat-GEN νῦν now μεγάλη great ἐστίν is
51.21b Dēmētrios (day-MAY-tree-os) Demetrios hē (hay) the timē (tee-MAY) price tou (too) the-GEN sitou (SEE-too) wheat-GEN nyn (nyn) now megalē (meh-GAH-lay) great estin (es-TEEN) is
51.22a Νικόλαος Nikolaos τότε then μικρὰ small ἦν was νῦν now δὲ but πῶς how μεγάλη great γέγονεν has-become
51.22b Nikolaos (nee-KOH-lah-os) Nikolaos tote (TOH-teh) then mikra (mee-KRAH) small ēn (ayn) was nyn (nyn) now de (deh) but pōs (pohs) how megalē (meh-GAH-lay) great gegonen (GEH-goh-nen) has-become
51.23a Δημήτριος Demetrios ὁ the πόλεμος war τὰ the νῦν now δύσκολα difficult ἐποίησεν made
51.23b Dēmētrios (day-MAY-tree-os) Demetrios ho (hoh) the polemos (POH-leh-mos) war ta (tah) the nyn (nyn) now dyskola (DEES-koh-lah) difficult epoiēsen (eh-POY-ay-sen) made
51.24a Νικόλαος Nikolaos νῦν now δεῖ it-is-necessary ἡμᾶς us ἐργάζεσθαι to-work πολύ much
51.24b Nikolaos (nee-KOH-lah-os) Nikolaos nyn (nyn) now dei (day) it-is-necessary hēmas (hay-MAHS) us ergazesthai (ehr-GAH-zes-thigh) to-work poly (poh-LEE) much
51.25a Δημήτριος Demetrios ἀληθῶς truly λέγεις you-speak ἀλλὰ but νῦν now ἴδε behold τὸν the ἄνδρα man ἐκεῖνον that
51.25b Dēmētrios (day-MAY-tree-os) Demetrios alēthōs (ah-lay-THOHS) truly legeis (LEH-gays) you-speak alla (al-LAH) but nyn (nyn) now ide (EE-deh) behold ton (ton) the andra (AN-drah) man ekeinon (eh-KAY-non) that
51.26a Νικόλαος Nikolaos τίς who νῦν now ἐστιν is οὗτος this-one
51.26b Nikolaos (nee-KOH-lah-os) Nikolaos tis (tees) who nyn (nyn) now estin (es-TEEN) is houtos (HOO-tos) this-one
51.27a Δημήτριος Demetrios οὐκ not οἶδα I-know ἀλλὰ but νῦν now ἔρχεται he-comes πρὸς toward ἡμᾶς us
51.27b Dēmētrios (day-MAY-tree-os) Demetrios ouk (ook) not oida (OY-dah) I-know alla (al-LAH) but nyn (nyn) now erchetai (EHR-kheh-tigh) he-comes pros (pros) toward hēmas (hay-MAHS) us
51.28a Ξένος Stranger χαίρετε greetings ὦ O ἄνδρες men-VOC νῦν now ἔχετε have-you ἄρτον bread πρὸς for πώλησιν sale
51.28b Xenos (KSEH-nos) Stranger chairete (KHIGH-reh-teh) greetings ō (oh) O andres (AN-dres) men-VOC nyn (nyn) now echete (EH-kheh-teh) have-you arton (AHR-ton) bread pros (pros) for pōlēsin (POH-lay-seen) sale
51.29a Νικόλαος Nikolaos νῦν now μὲν indeed οὔ not ἀλλὰ but αὔριον tomorrow ἕξομεν we-will-have
51.29b Nikolaos (nee-KOH-lah-os) Nikolaos nyn (nyn) now men (men) indeed ou (oo) not alla (al-LAH) but aurion (OW-ree-on) tomorrow hexomen (HEK-soh-men) we-will-have
51.30a Ξένος Stranger νῦν now οὖν therefore ἀπέρχομαι I-depart καὶ and αὔριον tomorrow ἐπανέρχομαι I-return
51.30b Xenos (KSEH-nos) Stranger nyn (nyn) now oun (oon) therefore aperchomai (ah-PEHR-khoh-migh) I-depart kai (kigh) and aurion (OW-ree-on) tomorrow epanerchomai (eh-pah-NEHR-khoh-migh) I-return
Part B: Natural Sentences
51.16 Νικόλαος: Νῦν τί πωλεῖς σήμερον, ὦ Δημήτριε; Nikolaos: Nyn ti pōleis sēmeron, ō Dēmētrie? “Nikolaos: Now, what are you selling today, Demetrios?”
51.17 Δημήτριος: Ἐλαίαν καὶ σῖτον νῦν ἔχω, φίλε. Dēmētrios: Elaian kai siton nyn echō, phile. “Demetrios: I have olives and wheat now, friend.”
51.18 Νικόλαος: Καὶ νῦν τίς ἀγοράζει ταῦτα; Nikolaos: Kai nyn tis agorazei tauta? “Nikolaos: And now, who is buying these things?”
51.19 Δημήτριος: Πολλοὶ νῦν ἔρχονται πρὸς τὴν ἀγοράν. Dēmētrios: Polloi nyn erchontai pros tēn agoran. “Demetrios: Many are now coming to the marketplace.”
51.20 Νικόλαος: Νῦν οὖν ἴδωμεν τὰς τιμάς. Nikolaos: Nyn oun idōmen tas timas. “Nikolaos: Now then, let us see the prices.”
51.21 Δημήτριος: Ἡ τιμὴ τοῦ σίτου νῦν μεγάλη ἐστίν. Dēmētrios: Hē timē tou sitou nyn megalē estin. “Demetrios: The price of wheat is now high.”
51.22 Νικόλαος: Τότε μικρὰ ἦν, νῦν δὲ πῶς μεγάλη γέγονεν! Nikolaos: Tote mikra ēn, nyn de pōs megalē gegonen! “Nikolaos: It was small then, but now how great it has become!”
51.23 Δημήτριος: Ὁ πόλεμος τὰ νῦν δύσκολα ἐποίησεν. Dēmētrios: Ho polemos ta nyn dyskola epoiēsen. “Demetrios: The war made the present circumstances difficult.”
51.24 Νικόλαος: Νῦν δεῖ ἡμᾶς ἐργάζεσθαι πολύ. Nikolaos: Nyn dei hēmas ergazesthai poly. “Nikolaos: Now it is necessary for us to work much.”
51.25 Δημήτριος: Ἀληθῶς λέγεις, ἀλλὰ νῦν ἴδε τὸν ἄνδρα ἐκεῖνον. Dēmētrios: Alēthōs legeis, alla nyn ide ton andra ekeinon. “Demetrios: You speak truly, but now look at that man.”
51.26 Νικόλαος: Τίς νῦν ἐστιν οὗτος; Nikolaos: Tis nyn estin houtos? “Nikolaos: Who is this now?”
51.27 Δημήτριος: Οὐκ οἶδα, ἀλλὰ νῦν ἔρχεται πρὸς ἡμᾶς. Dēmētrios: Ouk oida, alla nyn erchetai pros hēmas. “Demetrios: I don’t know, but now he is coming toward us.”
51.28 Ξένος: Χαίρετε, ὦ ἄνδρες! Νῦν ἔχετε ἄρτον πρὸς πώλησιν; Xenos: Chairete, ō andres! Nyn echete arton pros pōlēsin? “Stranger: Greetings, men! Do you now have bread for sale?”
51.29 Νικόλαος: Νῦν μὲν οὔ, ἀλλὰ αὔριον ἕξομεν. Nikolaos: Nyn men ou, alla aurion hexomen. “Nikolaos: Not now, but tomorrow we will have some.”
51.30 Ξένος: Νῦν οὖν ἀπέρχομαι καὶ αὔριον ἐπανέρχομαι. Xenos: Nyn oun aperchomai kai aurion epanerchomai. “Stranger: Now therefore I depart and tomorrow I return.”
Part C: Target Language Only
51.16 Νικόλαος: Νῦν τί πωλεῖς σήμερον, ὦ Δημήτριε; Nikolaos: Nyn ti pōleis sēmeron, ō Dēmētrie?
51.17 Δημήτριος: Ἐλαίαν καὶ σῖτον νῦν ἔχω, φίλε. Dēmētrios: Elaian kai siton nyn echō, phile.
51.18 Νικόλαος: Καὶ νῦν τίς ἀγοράζει ταῦτα; Nikolaos: Kai nyn tis agorazei tauta?
51.19 Δημήτριος: Πολλοὶ νῦν ἔρχονται πρὸς τὴν ἀγοράν. Dēmētrios: Polloi nyn erchontai pros tēn agoran.
51.20 Νικόλαος: Νῦν οὖν ἴδωμεν τὰς τιμάς. Nikolaos: Nyn oun idōmen tas timas.
51.21 Δημήτριος: Ἡ τιμὴ τοῦ σίτου νῦν μεγάλη ἐστίν. Dēmētrios: Hē timē tou sitou nyn megalē estin.
51.22 Νικόλαος: Τότε μικρὰ ἦν, νῦν δὲ πῶς μεγάλη γέγονεν! Nikolaos: Tote mikra ēn, nyn de pōs megalē gegonen!
51.23 Δημήτριος: Ὁ πόλεμος τὰ νῦν δύσκολα ἐποίησεν. Dēmētrios: Ho polemos ta nyn dyskola epoiēsen.
51.24 Νικόλαος: Νῦν δεῖ ἡμᾶς ἐργάζεσθαι πολύ. Nikolaos: Nyn dei hēmas ergazesthai poly.
51.25 Δημήτριος: Ἀληθῶς λέγεις, ἀλλὰ νῦν ἴδε τὸν ἄνδρα ἐκεῖνον. Dēmētrios: Alēthōs legeis, alla nyn ide ton andra ekeinon.
51.26 Νικόλαος: Τίς νῦν ἐστιν οὗτος; Nikolaos: Tis nyn estin houtos?
51.27 Δημήτριος: Οὐκ οἶδα, ἀλλὰ νῦν ἔρχεται πρὸς ἡμᾶς. Dēmētrios: Ouk oida, alla nyn erchetai pros hēmas.
51.28 Ξένος: Χαίρετε, ὦ ἄνδρες! Νῦν ἔχετε ἄρτον πρὸς πώλησιν; Xenos: Chairete, ō andres! Nyn echete arton pros pōlēsin?
51.29 Νικόλαος: Νῦν μὲν οὔ, ἀλλὰ αὔριον ἕξομεν. Nikolaos: Nyn men ou, alla aurion hexomen.
51.30 Ξένος: Νῦν οὖν ἀπέρχομαι καὶ αὔριον ἐπανέρχομαι. Xenos: Nyn oun aperchomai kai aurion epanerchomai.
Part D: Grammar Notes for Genre Section
The dialogue illustrates several key uses of νῦν in conversational Greek:
Conversational νῦν (51.16, 51.18): Used at the beginning of questions to orient the conversation to the present moment or current topic. This is similar to English “now” as a discourse marker: “Now, what are you selling?”
Temporal νῦν with present tense (51.17, 51.19, 51.21, 51.27): The most basic use, indicating current state or ongoing action.
νῦν οὖν construction (51.20, 51.30): “Now therefore” — draws a logical conclusion and moves to action. Very common in Koine Greek for transitioning from discussion to decision.
Contrastive νῦν δέ (51.22): Shows temporal contrast between past (τότε... ἦν) and present (νῦν δέ... γέγονεν). The perfect tense γέγονεν emphasizes the present result of past change.
Substantival τὰ νῦν (51.23): “The present circumstances” — with neuter plural article, νῦν becomes a substantive referring to current affairs or the present situation.
νῦν with imperative (51.25): ἴδε (”look!”) with νῦν conveys immediacy: “Look now!” The speaker draws attention to something happening at this very moment.
νῦν μέν... ἀλλά construction (51.29): “Now indeed not... but (later)” — contrasts present state with future expectation. The particle μέν anticipates a following contrast.
Key Dialogue Vocabulary:
πωλέω (pōleō) — sell
ἀγοράζω (agorazō) — buy, purchase (from ἀγορά, marketplace)
τιμή (timē) — price, value, honor
σῖτος (sitos) — wheat, grain
ἐλαία (elaia) — olive (tree or fruit)
αὔριον (aurion) — tomorrow
ἀπέρχομαι (aperchomai) — depart, go away
ἐπανέρχομαι (epanerchomai) — return, come back
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νῦν (nyn)
Classical pronunciation: /nyːn/ — the υ is a high front rounded vowel (like German ü or French u), and the final ν is a simple dental nasal
Later Koine pronunciation: /nin/ — by the Roman period, υ had unrounded to /i/
Modern Greek pronunciation: /nin/ — identical to later Koine
The circumflex accent (῀) indicates that in Classical Greek, the syllable had a rising-falling pitch contour. In later Koine and Modern Greek, this became a simple stress accent.
IPA transcriptions for key words in this lesson:
νῦν — Classical: /nyːn/, Koine: /nin/
δέσποτα — /DES.po.ta/
εἰρήνη — Classical: /eː.REː.neː/, Koine: /i.RI.ni/
σωτήριον — /soː.TEː.ri.on/
ἀποκάλυψις — /a.po.KA.lyp.sis/
Common pronunciation errors for English speakers:
Pronouncing υ as English “u” — it should be /y/ (Classical) or /i/ (Koine)
Dropping the final ν — it should be clearly pronounced
Stressing the wrong syllable — νῦν is monosyllabic and receives full stress
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This lesson is part of the Latinum Institute Modern Language Course series, which applies the time-tested interlinear construed text methodology to contemporary and historical languages. The Latinum Institute has been creating language learning materials since 2006.
Course Philosophy
The construed text approach, also known as the interlinear method, allows autodidact learners to acquire vocabulary and grammatical structures simultaneously by presenting target language text with word-by-word glosses. This method has been used for centuries to teach classical languages and proves equally effective for modern language acquisition.
By providing both the original script and romanization for non-Latin scripts, learners develop reading skills in the target writing system while having pronunciation support readily available. The dual-line format in Section A (native script with gloss, then romanization with pronunciation) creates synergy between visual recognition and phonetic understanding.
Why Koine Greek?
Koine Greek (ἡ κοινὴ διάλεκτος, “the common dialect”) was the lingua franca of the Eastern Mediterranean from approximately 300 BCE to 300 CE. It is the language of the New Testament, the Septuagint (Greek Old Testament), and a vast corpus of Hellenistic literature, philosophy, and historical writing. Learning Koine Greek opens access to foundational texts of Western civilization in their original language.
Frequency-Based Curriculum
This course follows a frequency-based vocabulary progression using a curated list of the 1000 most essential words. By learning high-frequency vocabulary first, students quickly gain the ability to read authentic texts with comprehension.
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✓ Lesson 51 Koine Greek complete
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